(KAIR)--A propane leak is the likely cause of a Jackson County explosion that leveled a home, leaving one dead and one injured.
A release issued Monday by Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse details investigation undertaken jointly by his office and the Kansas State Fire Marshal’s Office.
Six facts are detailed in the release, with the first stating that “the explosion was not a result of a criminal act,” followed by five other facts, including confirmation that the explosion was caused by propane, a “sizeable amount of propane is believed to be missing from the home’s propane tank, which potentially leaked into the residence,” and that investigators believe that an unidentifiable leak occurred inside the home.
The fact that “little to no part of the residence remains intact,” “makes the investigation even more challenging,” the release states, noting that “it is unknown what the actual source was that ignited the explosion.”
Killed in the blast on the evening of May 10, at 27284 Q.4 Road, north of Holton, was 61-year-old Billy “ Lu” Griffiths, who served as director of the Banner Creek Lake. His wife, Teri, was seriously injured and airlifted to a Kansas City hospital. She is a teacher at Royal Valley High School.
The preliminary investigation shows that both were inside the home at the time of the early evening blast, with Monday’s release stating that an autopsy has been conducted “and investigators will be reviewing those results when they become available.”
Morse notes in the release that “an area around the residence was excavated for investigative purposes” on Friday, and that “further testing and investigation is expected to be conducted by the home owner’s insurance company.”
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